2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Historical development of industrial relations in Sweden and the joint industrial councils

Research Project

Project/Area Number	17530259
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Economic history
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	ISHIHARA Shunji The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics, Associate Professor (70221760)
Project Period (FY)	2005 – 2007
Keywords	economic history / Sweden / industrial relations / the joint industrial councils / Volvo / MBL
Research Abstract	When we analyze historical development of Swedish industrial relations after the Second World War, we have usually pay attentions to the central organizations and collective bargaining system. In this study I investigated the joint industrial council in Volvo from 1948 to 1976. The council, where employer and employee united efforts in solving the problems in the company, developed various activities. For example, the council organized vocational training, occupational safety and health, study activities and the suggestion system. We can see even the continuity of the activities to MBL-system after 1976. Activities of Volvo's joint council had not only regulated by agreements between central organizations but also had its own dynamism. So we cannot understand historical development of industrial relations in Sweden and the process to MBL (law concerning right of participation in decision making) without consideration of local dynamism such as development of the joint industrial councils.

(2 results)